


The Span of Seasons

by Fluffy_Snake



Category: Naruto
Genre: A+ Parenting of hired assassins, Child Soldiers, Dubious Ethics, Dubious Morality, F/M, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Hurt/Comfort, Original Character-centric, Orochimaru Being Orochimaru (Naruto), Shimura Danzou Being an Asshole, Slice of Life, Third Shinobi War, Tragedy, but still a good person, kind of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:40:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27098242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fluffy_Snake/pseuds/Fluffy_Snake
Summary: Uzumaki Sayuri, Inuzuka Ibara, and Uchiha Hoshiyo grow up in the middle of a war torn Konoha.  Life serves to split them apart as destiny moves forward. But will they survive the Third Shinobi War with life...and sanity intact?
Relationships: Namikaze Minato/Uzumaki Kushina
Kudos: 1





	The Span of Seasons

14 years Before Naruto's Birth  
January 13

Uzumaki Ryuu wrung his hands nervously as he paced outside the hospital room. His blue hair and purple eyes an odd look in Konohagakure. Though the leaf symbol on his black headband obvious enough to his loyalty. While his ancestors had once been a part of Kiri they had jumped ship for Uzushio once long ago. Of course now Uzushiogakure was destroyed. He heard the sound of running before he saw the cause. Bright red hair sailing behind the girl was the telling sign. "Am I late, Ryuu-ojisan?" The excitable girl asked and Ryuu chuckled. A loud yell pierced through and he tensed up. His every shinobi instinct screamed for him to bust through the door to be with his wife. His wife who was now in labor with their first born child. 

"No, Kushina-chan," he said with a nervous laugh. He paced and his chakra swirled anxiously in his stomach. "How was school?" Kushina smiled at him but he could see the sweat going down the side of her face. The ten year old girl had obviously ran full sprint from the Academy to get to the hospital in time. 

"Is...Chika-obasan going to be...?" The ten year old asked but was distracted by a yell. The yell tapered off but the thing that made his heart race was a cry. An infants cry. Kushina gasped in surprise and Ryuu all but ran for the door. Which promptly slammed open and he froze at the glare from Tsunade-sama. Her brown eyes promising to bash his head in then to heal him. 

"You do not run in my hospital!" The woman hissed and the pressure of her chakra was immense. Ryuu's purple eyes went to the red haired hellion next to him. A girl he had quickly taken to caring for as they all heard the news of Uzushiogakure's destruction. They both had wide eyes and were shaking at the pure killing intent of a Sannin. "Understood!?" Tsunade growled and twin nods were her answer. "Go...but be quiet." Her furious demeanor softened to a gentle smile. It would almost give him whiplash if not for him being distracted. Ryuu smiled and both of them rushed in to see Chika. Her hair was long and bright red like all Uzumaki. It was pulled back though he could see strands stuck to her beautiful face. Her icy blue eyes showed exhaustion and exhilaration. 

"Chika-obasan," Kushina said stepping next to her on one side. He stood on the other and smiled down at his wife. Chika smiled at him and moved the bundle in her arms. The infant's face was still red and angry but calming down as it's mother held it. He saw the specks of red hair on his child's head and gave a wry smile. "Are you alright? What's the gender?" Kushina asked way too excited and loud. Though Chika smiled at her. 

"A girl," she said happily even through her hoarse voice. He looked down at his daughter whose eyes had now cracked open. A soft violet. "Well she has my hair," his wife said with a victorious smirk. "That means you get naming rights you bastard." Ryuu smirked at her and cackled lightly at mention of the bet. They had fought over whether or not the baby would have Uzumaki traits or Mizushima traits. It seems Uzumaki traits were dominant in this case. Though he could tell his daughter would have his eyes. Chika held out the bundle to him and with slightly tense hands he took his daughter. He eased as those light violet eyes peeked at him and cooed. 

"Sayuri," he whispered. "A flower like your mother." Chika looked at him with a blank look that screamed how unamused she was. His smirk widened at her. 

"Lily?" Kushina asked crossing her arms over her chest. "That sounds stupid." 

\-----  
12 years Before Naruto's Birth  
December 27

"Then what happened?" The little girl in a light blue shirt and shorts asked the taller girl. The little girl had a red swirl on the back of her shirt that matched the same symbol on the older girl. Uzumaki Sayuri was now three and almost four years old. Kushina was crouched by her as the cold wind blew outside. In her shinobi outfit as she had finished her training today before being asked to join the other Uzumaki's for supper. 

"I was so scared dettabane," Kushina said and put an emphasis on her words. "Captured and alone with the enemy. But then...Minato-kun found me!" Sayuri wrapped her hands around her knees as her kaasan ambled around the kitchen. The smell of her favorite food made her stomach growl loudly. Her pale cheeks turned the color of her hair before both went off into chuckles. "He said my hair helped lead him to me," Kushina said with a wide smile and Sayuri grinned.

Before she could say what she wanted to say she saw the chakra that signified the return of her father. She could always see more than other people. She could feel emotions and tell who was who. Though it made her head hurt when kaa-san took her to the market. Too many people made her head hurt. "Tou-san is here!" She called before he opened the door. His purple eyes saw the girls on the floor first with a wide smile. The light green flak jacket clashed terribly with his light blue hair. "Tou-san!" She called as she ran for a hug. Her father crouched to take the red haired child into his arms. "Kushina-neesan was telling me about her boyfriend!"

Sayuri grinned mischievously at the choking sputtering noise that came from her clan mate behind her. "Oi! You little brat he is not..." Kushina yelled as her hair spiked up at her anger. Ryuu held his daughter with a chuckle as he looked at his crazy cousin. Her father was use to how rambunctious an Uzumaki household could be. Uzumaki were loud and loved deeply. That was what her kaasan always said. 

"Dinner is ready!" The sweet voice like a wind chime called from the kitchen. Kushina and Sayuri's stomach both growled but the anger from before was lost. Ryuu walked in and plopped his daughter in her chair as Kushina took her own spot at the table. Noodles, meat, vegetables, and dumplings covered the table in massive quantities. In quick order the conversation was abandoned in order to eat to their hearts content. Kami help those who got between an Uzumaki and their food. "So what was this about Minato-san?" Chika asked as a few strands of red hair fell from her bun. 

"Kushina-neesan's future husband you mean kaa-san?" Sayuri asked innocently and laughed maliciously as a choking sound came from her cousin. Being only four it sounded adorable. 

"You little...!" Kushina hissed as her hand smacked the table. Sayuri stuck her tongue out as her mother laughed. With quick reflexes, from shinobi training and experience dealing with Uzumaki, her father pulled his glass from the table. "Why did I tell you so much?" She hissed. "You little menace." 

"Namikaze Minato yes?" Chika asked with a wide smile. Almost like a tiger. "Jiraiya-sama's student isn't that right? You should invite him over for dinner some day Kushina. I would love to meet him." The smile was positively toothy and predatory. It was no surprise were Sayuri got her main characteristics. 

"Obasan!" Kushina said with a whine as red dusted her cheeks. Sayuri grinned as she pulled a dumpling into her mouth. Her mother's cooking was her favorite. 

\------

10 Years Before Naruto's Birth  
April 3

Rain battered the windows as for the first time in a long time she had both of her parents home. She did not fully understand what war meant but knew it took her parents from her. They came back but she knew some parents didn't. That she could lose them. It scared her but she never said anything. Shinobi children were supposed to be stronger and better. She had learned to read and write quickly but not too strange for a child that was from a shinobi clan. Tou-san said it was because they were Shinobi clans that they learned faster. Grew up faster. Though actual smarts varied. 

She had always learned quick. Now she sat in her Tou-san's arms as she watched the water fall down the glass. Beautiful. She always loved the rain. Even if it made her wet. She smiled and relaxed in his strong arms. "When can I be a Kunoichi Tou-san?" She asked as she leaned her head back on his chest. Her purple eyes looking into his own. 

"When you are seven, sweet heart," a melodic voice said to her left. Her mother joined them to watch the rain. It took only a slight readjustment to be where her parents held her. She leaned back with both. The sound of the rain and her parents hold enough to make her relax. "Your chakra coils are still growing," she whispered and set a hand on her stomach. "All Uzumaki have more chakra than normal." She giggled and nodded. She wanted to learn though. Still this felt nice. 

"Uzushiogakure," her father said and drew the symbol on the glass. A swirl she knew all too well. She held a hand up to it. "That use to be our home," his smooth voice washed over her as her mother gripped her hand. "But the other nations grew envious of our strength. They attacked and destroyed our home. Your mother and I were away on a mission." Ryuu's hand tightened around her but she did not complain. Her purple eyes tracing her father's sharp jawline.

"We settled here," her mother said and kissed her hand. "With Uzushio's once strongest allies. We had you. Kushina and though you never met her, Mito-sama. Konoha is our home now. We will defend it." Sayuri looked from the spiral to the symbol of the leaf on their headbands. The symbol of her new home. 

"Un. I will be a Kunoichi," she said as lightning split the sky. The crack of thunder. 

\---------  
10 years Before Naruto's Birth  
May 2

"Look at this," her excitable clanmate said as she showed the scroll she had been working on. It was filled with swirls and layers of writing. Kushina was being a baby sitter as her parents were off fighting in the war. Most Genin were left in the city or outskirts to help Konoha. "This right here means fire," she said as she pointed at a symbol. "What does this tag do?" Sayuri blinked and leaned closer. Tracing the lines from the symbol of fire to its connection. 

"It is...an explosion tag?" She asked excitedly as she pointed at the other symbols. Fuinjutsu was part of her bloodline after all. "There is air." Kushina smiled and ruffled her hair. She whined nd stuck her tongue out at the girl. A pout on her lips. "Oneesan!" She cried out and tried to fix her hair. 

"Every Uzumaki worth their name makes their own exploding tag, Sayuri-chan," Kushina said with a grin. "I am gonna teach you how to make your own. First though!" With that she jumped up and ran to grab something. A book from what she could tell. "Basics for Fuinjutsu," Kushina said with a wide grin. "Then we can show your Okaasan and Otousan how advanced you are." Even if Kushina fed her Ramen all the time while babysitting this was also nice. 

With a smile and a drive to prove herself she dived into learning from the book. Even if her fingers were stained black from the effort of practice. She would show her parents she would be a strong Kunoichi.

\--------

9 years Before Naruto's Birth  
June 28

"We don't want to play with you," a boy with brown hair said. "Your hair looks like a tomato." The summer air was loud with insects, birds, and chatter as the children played at the park. A center of peace that their shinobi and civilian parents enjoyed with the war picking up around them. Uzumaki Sayuri's face went red with a mix of anger and embarrassment at the boy who insulted her. This was the first time she had been taken to a park to play with others. 

Though she was awkward with trying to approach those her age. She felt her eyes mist as she tried to think of something to say. To yell. She heard them laugh at her and covered her chest. "Hey leave her alone!" A voice yelled, a girl's voice, that made her blink to clear her misty eyes. She saw a red and white fan on the back of a blue shirt. "No one talks to my friend like that!" Friend? 

"Y-Yeah!" A boy said stepping close to the other girl. The fan on the back of his black shirt was obvious. The boy's voice was slightly nervous and Sayuri saw a brown haired boy approach them. He stood next to the other boy and Sayuri felt hope bloom in her chest. Friends? "She's our friend," the boy said with confidence as the two other kids stood next to him. "We don't want to play ninja tag with you anyways!" 

They turned to face her. The first girl had dark blue eyes and black spiky hair. She looked similar to the boy who had black eyes. They were both pale like her and smiled widely at her. The guy with brown hair had sharp teeth and a wild look to him. He had dark brown eyes with red markings down each cheek. "I am Uchiha Hoshiyo," the girl said with a grin. "My clan mate Uchiha Obito and Inuzuka Ibara. We are friends now." Her confidence was contagious and she felt a wide smile come from her. 

"Un," she said. "Uzumaki Sayuri." She held out her hand and felt warmth in her chest that felt weird as each shook her hand. 

"Don't listen to those weaklings," Obito said with his own grin. "I like your hair! It's pretty." Her cheeks went red for another reason as she looked at them. Friends were nice to have. "Are you going to join the academy?" Obito asked. "You a Shinobi kid right?" 

"Of course she's a shinobi kid, Obito," Ibara barked out to the Uchiha with a roll of his eyes. His hands crossing over his chest with a toothy grin. She could see his nose twitching.

"I um...can't join the academy till I am seven," she said with a pout. "Uzumaki's have a higher...um amount of chakra dettabane. If I learn shinobi arts now I could...damage my coils." She furrowed her eyebrows as she tried to quote what her mother had told her. Even if she could not learn now she could still study other stuff. "I will join the academy one day!" She yelled and her new friends laughed. She looked back at her father who smiled at her. She found their chakra signatures to be relaxing. 

\-------

9 Years Before Naruto's Birth  
July 15 

Inuzuka Ibara felt his nose twitching as the market stalls almost over powered his senses. He was not part of the main branch but he was powerful. He would be. He found himself hiding behind a stall as the red haired girl, Sayuri, searched for them. Ninja tag with their own twist on it but he was convinced the girl was cheating. Even if his tracking skills were a form of cheating. He ducked to all fours as bright red passed out of the corner of his eye. 

He relaxed as he saw it was just a lady's kimono and sniffed the air again. The smell of perfume and the after scent of a pig made him twinge his nose in disgust. He had to get to somewhere more open and used his chakra to quiet his footsteps. He was surprised to run into the other kid in the game with him. The boy Uchiha who was...."Obito," he hissed and pulled his arm to pull him behind the stall. 

The boy was rubbing his eyes with a whine. "I got sand in my eyes," he said with a whimper. "It hurts." Ibara clicked his tongue and raised his head to look for the red haired menace that was it in this game of tag. He never regretted becoming her friend but man was she scary sometimes. He thought Hoshiyo and him would be the protectors of the group but Sayuri was strong. "Quit rubbing them," he snapped and pulled the hands from Obito's eyes. "They are red...come on I got an idea." 

He grabbed Obito's hands and ran from behind the stalls. He looked everywhere for the red haired menace but made sure Obito was with him. He dodged people and saw the item he wanted to get. Goggles would help the Uchiha right? He saw Sayuri's hair approaching from down the market and almost growled. No way would he lose another game of Ninja tag. He was an Inuzuka damn it. He grabbed the goggles as the shop keep was distracted before running with Obito. "Ibara I can't see," Obito whined as they ducked behind a building. 

He followed his nose to the small river and quickly pulled Obito to the side. "Come on let's wash your eyes alright," Ibara said as he bared his teeth. "Then let's beat the red haired menace." Obito nodded and Ibara cupped the water in his hands before sending it over Obito's eyes. With a grin he held out the goggles. "Here!" He said and put the orange and blue goggles in his hands. "I got this for you. That should stop your eyes from getting irritated." Obito looked down at the goggles before a wide smile broke out on his face. 

He quickly put them over his eyes and looked at Ibara. "Alright let's beat Sayuri-chan!" Obito said loudly. 

"Shh not so loud, baka," Ibara called and his nose twitched. The red haired menace was close. "We need to move before she...." 

"Too late!" The five year old called as she ran up to the two. "I found you! You are the last!" Ibara felt a scowl break out as Obito chuckled. "Nice goggles Obito-kun!" She said and stopped to stare at them. Obito's cheeks turned pink. Her hand landed on his arm. "Tag you are it!" She ran away with a laugh as Ibara laughed with her. 

"Hey no fair!" Obito cried but chased after them with a laugh.

\-----------

8 Years Before Naruto's Birth  
September 28

The war continued on. Her parents still went to fight on the Frontlines. In Rain Country or wherever they were needed. She was six now. While it was not much older than last year she still wanted to learn and fight. She watched them get ready from the entrance to the living room. Her mother checked her kunai and scrolls. Before she tied up her long red hair into a bun. Her blue eyes looked at her with a smile. Her father was tightening the metal vambrace on his arm. "It will be alright, Sayuri-chan," she said with a cocky smile. "We will be back. Then we can check out your exploding tag." 

She looked up at them and felt a smile come to her face. Her red hair was bedraggled as she stood in her pajamas. She wanted to be here to see them. To remember them. In case...she felt her eyes go slightly misty. "Hey what is with the tears," her father said and kneeled by her. His hand wiping her face. "We have fought on the front before. We will be back before you know it, my little hurricane. I promise." Sayuri nodded and sucked back her tears as they both hugged her. "Now be good for Kushina," He said and kissed her forehead. "She is a Chunin now after all." 

"You know she won't be," a sleepy voice said behind her. Kushina smiled and shook her own tangled hair. "The little menace. You two be safe alright?" They both nodded and smiled at their family. "We need to get Sayuri in the academy so she can blow it up." They all shared a laugh and a hug. She watched her parents walk into the dark streets as the leaves continued to fall. Kushina sighed and set a hand on her shoulder. "Come on I will make breakfast," she said with a wide smile. 

"No ramen," she teased and Kushina snickered. They moved into the kitchen and Sayuri blew out a breath. 'Please come home safe,' she prayed. 'You promised.' Kushina poked her forehead and she smiled. Her older cousin pushed back her red hair. "We can practice Fuinjutsu later," she said with a chuckle. "Minato-kun promised to help us practice." Sayuri nodded and felt her worries ease. 

\----------

8 Years Before Naruto's Birth  
November 30 

Uzumaki Sayuri smiled as she sat surrounded by books. Kushina was out practicing with Mikoto-san. She ran her hands through the listed hand seals. Practing till she got them down perfectly. She was already signed up to enter the Academy after her birthday. She could not wait. Soon she would show her parents and Kushina she would be a Kunoichi. She practiced her sensing skills with her friends and practiced what she could. Soon she would go. She would join her friends and be strong.

She jumped as she heard a knock on the door. She blinked but quickly hopped down from her nest of studying to answer the door. Her purple eyes met the sad eyes of a shinobi who held out a piece of paper. She felt her insides turn to ice and her mouth go dry. She heard her heart in her ears as the man's mouth moved. She heard nothing. She followed the man with an emptiness that threatened to swallow her. As she stood in the morgue she looked at the white covered bodies on the slab. Two of many but she saw the red hair peek under the blanket and her father's hand. She did not dare peek at their bodies. 

She heard the door slam open but did not look. Even as a flurry of movement made it to where warm arms wrapped around her. She saw red hair and looked up at Kushina. "I came as fast as I could," she said and tightened her grip. "I have you Sayuri. It's okay to cry. I got you...I-I." As a drop of water hit her hand she felt her body collapse into sobs. 

"T-They promised," she cried and burrowed herself into a mane of red hair. "Kushina...they..." 

"Shhh," Kushina whispered. "I'll take care of you, Imoto."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My timeline is set up using Naruto's birth as the marker. Just something I decided to write while in a Naruto mood. Please tell me what you think. No romance will be written for the ocs until much later.


End file.
